


April 17, 1983 :: Constitution

by schwertlilie



Series: White Flags [20]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Historical, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-07
Updated: 2012-10-07
Packaged: 2017-11-15 20:26:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/531341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schwertlilie/pseuds/schwertlilie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Queen Elizabeth II and Pierre Trudeau sign the Constitution and the Canada Act (1982), finally giving Canada control over its own laws. Matthew's proud of himself, and Arthur's happy for his little brother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	April 17, 1983 :: Constitution

**Author's Note:**

> Canada's constitution is bilingual, French & English; when the UK passed the Canada Act 1982, which patriated Canada's constitution, the British parliament had to pass the Act in French as well. It was the first time the United Kingdom had passed an act in French since Norman French was the official language of government.

_April 17, 1983 :: Ottawa, Canada :: signing of the Constitution Act_

Matthew smiled at Arthur from across the table as their bosses signed Canada's new constitution. Arthur looked back, the barest hint of a smile on his face. 

This was.. this was _odd_. He'd felt documents be signed before, but not like this, not with his people watching on live television, caring about the outcome. The sense of shifting was stronger; and he saw Arthur took a breath as their Queen finished her signature, knew that Arthur felt it too. 

It felt like a piece of himself had come home, a part he hadn't known he was missing. Sure, Quebec hadn't ratified the new constitution – _Canada's_ constitution – but he could do things without the oversight of Britain's parliament now. On his own, like a proper independent nation should.

 

After, glass of champagne in hand, Arthur found Matthew standing in a nook in the drawing room.

"Congratulations, lad."

"Thanks. I mean-" He smiled a little, shrugged. "... Thanks."

"You deserve it. More than your ungrateful brother, anyway."

Matthew snorted into his drink. "And you? How are you?"

"Aside from the frog-speak, good." He patted Matthew's shoulder. "Don't worry about me, lad. With you constitution being simply yours, it's one less thing to weigh my shoulders down."

They were silent a few moments, watching the politicians and functionaries mull about. Matthew took a breath. "Do you ever.. do you ever miss being an empire?"

"I still am."

"In the bigger sense, I mean- Hail Britannia, sun never sets, all that." 

"And all of you lot underfoot?" At Matthew's nod, he sighed. "Sometimes. But when I was at my largest, I missed sunrises." He sipped his champagne. "How does the saying go... 'The grass is always greener.' But it's nice not to have to worry about you boys so much anymore, to concentrate on my people alone for a while." 

"Try and fix things with your brothers."

"That as well, yes." He tapped his fingers against his glass. "I hope you know how much this means, Matthew. I even passed a law in frog for you."

"I appreciate it, Arthur, really." He smiled. "Been a long time?"

"Hundreds of years. Francis was giving me hell about it last week when he found out." 

He grinned. "The sacrifices you make for us..."

Arthur nodded gravely. "Indeed."


End file.
